Top Dennis Gross Products for Anti-Aging

So I first heard about Dr. Dennis Gross, one of the country’s leading dermatologists, on “The Skinny Confidential” podcast.  He’s a return guest, & they really get into the weeds as far as performance skincare goes.  He’s extremely transparent about what actually works, vs. what he thinks is a total waste of money.  And there are a few ingredients that he says are THE most important when it comes to great skincare: Vitamin C, retinol, glycolic & lactic acids.  Here, we’ll dig into a short list of the “Top Dennis Gross Products for Anti-Aging.”

There are two ingredients that Dr. Dennis Gross recommends for almost everyone for the ultimate in anti-aging: Vitamin C COMBINED with lactic acid!

“Although many actives do wonders on their own, there are several ingredient combos that supercharge each other’s benefits when paired. One prime example is Vitamin C & lactic acid. Together, these two ingredients deliver an added boost of antioxidant protection & skin brightening.”

 

– Dr. Dennis Gross

Top Dennis Gross Products for Anti-Aging

Though Dr. Dennis Gross has numerous products on the market, there are two that are most potent in terms of anti-aging & improving skin tone: 1) Vitamin C + Lactic Acid, & 2) Alpha Beta Peel Pads.  In terms of anti-aging & antioxidant repair: the Vitamin C combined with lactic acid is #1.  A personal story: my friend Kadi, who has very sensitive skin, recently bought $400 worth of beauty products from a high-end boutique in Bend ~ & her skin reacted horribly to the products.  So much so: she took them ALL back.  Upon looking at the ingredients of these high-end lotions & potions, I found many *filler* ingredients & chemicals, which I told her probably contributed to the bad reaction she had. 

So she asked me what products to try instead.

Having just listened to Dennis Gross on “The Skinny Confidential,” I looked up the product he said was currently his best anti-aging formulation (the Vitamin C), & took a look at the ingredients.  First off, his formula had about 1/3 the amount of ingredients compared to her *fancy* brand.  And way less filler.  MORE Vitamin C, & more beneficial ingredients.  So she ordered up both the Vitamin C & peel pads from Amazon, & three weeks later….I asked for her opinion on the products.

“So the reason I love Dr. Gross so much is because my skin doesn’t react negatively to his products [like it does with so many other lines]. With the peel pads, I can FEEL them working, like a tingling ~ but they still don’t turn my skin red. I also tried his Ferulic serum, & it turned my skin red for about 20 minutes…but the next morning I woke up with my skin feeling beautiful.

 

For the long-run though, I prefer to stick with the peel pads & Vitamin C: as I can feel & see them working, without the slight disturbance the retinol causes.

– Kadi D. from Bend, Oregon

A photo from Kadi this morning (a little blurry) of her favorite Dr. Gross product: Vitamin C.

Ingredients in Vitamin C Serum

I also asked her about a “slight smoky” smell that some reviews mention, in regard to the Vitamin C serum.  She said that she’s never noticed any smoky smell at all.  One thing I will say: there’s NO fragrance in the Vitamin C serum.  AT ALL.  Which may give it a more earthy smell.  Most beauty products contain fragrance of some kind, which is also code for potentially hundreds of irritating ingredients (I’ve discussed this at length in an article on Michelle Pfeiffer’s non-toxic fragrance line). 

Ingredients in Vitamin C + Lactic= Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ricinoleth-40, Aminomethyl Propanol, Lactic Acid, Tocopherol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Ferulic Acid, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycolic Acid, Adenosine, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol.

First off: there aren’t many ingredients in this formula ~ just 16 total.  As mentioned, NO fragrance.  And very few chemicals.  No Xanthum Gum (a filler used in both food & cosmetics, that can be irritating to some people).  Mainly, you’ve just got the good stuff: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is #3, followed by Lactic Acid, Ferulic (great for wrinkles), Sodium Hyaluronate (nature’s filler), & Glycolic Acid (promotes gentle cell turnover & brightness).  The formula Kadi had been using prior to this contained about 50+ ingredients, & just from a common sense standpoint: the more ingredients, the more likelihood for a negative reaction. 

• 93% saw improvement in fine lines after 4 weeks
• 85% saw visible improvement in sun aging after 4 weeks
• Visibly improves skin sagging & firmness after 12 weeks

Peel Pads

$150.00

Is it Worth the Cost?

As a final note, I realize that Dennis Gross’s products aren’t the cheapest on the market.  But they’re also far from the most expensive.  The Vitamin C serum goes a long way, & if you only use it at night: it should last about 3-4 months.  The peel pads, on the other hand, will likely last longer, as they come with 60 treatments per pack.  Our favorite facials in Bend cost $150, so the way we look at it is: we’re giving ourselves weekly facials & cell turnover at a fraction of the cost of an in-person facial!

Sometimes, especially with performance facial products: it’s worth it to spend the extra money.

xoxo Noelia

Read Next: Is There a Cheaper Alternative to Skinceuticals CE Ferulic?